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  1. #11
    Senior Member john30563's Avatar
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    I was sewing 1.1 nylon. And I am trying to just pick up the bobbin thread without anything in the machine, is that where I am making my mistake??

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by headchange4u View Post
    While recently working on my quilt, I ran out of the Gutterman thread I was using and switched to some Mettler thread in the same color. To look at the 2 threads side by side, they looked the same, both high quality. I bought the Mettler from Hancock fabrics and paid more for it than I did the Gutterman. I tried in vain to use the Mettler, readjusting the tension on both the bottom and top threads, but I still had constant bird's nest and thread breakage. It took me 2 days before I could get back out and get some more Gutterman, but once I started using it again all my problems disappeared.

    I have had similar problems with needles before. Singer needles work great in my machine but other brands will break the thread, not catch the bottom thread, and I had needles constantly breaking.
    Yeah I learned my lesson the hard way too. Once something works for I don't change it.
    Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
    The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".

  3. #13
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    My bobbin loads the same way. I usually put the case in the machine and leave 5 or 6 inches out. I manually move the wheel that moves the needle without any fabric. It should still pick up the bobbin thread and pull it out.
    Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
    The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".

  4. #14
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    Also try turning the bobbin around in the case. Maybe it is in backward. Make sure it is going through the opening in the metal bobbin holder.
    Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
    The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".

  5. #15
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    You can check the tension on the bobbin thread by suspending the bobbin case from the thread. When you give it a little quick tuck upwards, you should be able to get some more thread to come out. If you need anything more than a slight amount of force to pull thread out of the bobbin case, I would suspect you have some lint build up in your bobbin case (or did you turn the little screw?).

    When you remove your bobbin from the metal case, you should not pull the thread through backwards, as this can cause lint to get stuck and mess up your tension. You should either cut it and pull the cut-off end out in the right direction, or undo it the way you loaded it, which takes a bit of practice.

    Another very remote possibility is that you have the same problem as my mother's machine. The clutch for the bobbin winder no longer disengages the needle up-down motion, and the machine looks like it should be sewing but it's not, it turns the bobbin winder.

  6. #16
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    Just to make sure it's not a really simple problem. How much thread do you leave up top? Try leaving 4-5" or so, and hold the top thread while turning the hand-wheel.

    If the top thread is too short, the end can simply slide through the loop created at the bottom and not pick up the bobbin thread.

  7. #17
    Senior Member john30563's Avatar
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    I leave about 5 or 6 inches up top, up top that is threaded through the needle. I am wondering should I pull the thread out of the bobbin and pull it up through the hole the needle goes down to get into the bobbin case?

    Also, the bobbin stuff turns as I manually advance the wheel. I've watched that already. But I also am not sure about the question about the direction of the bobbin. IF I am holding the bobbin case, with the opening that holds the bobbin facing me, which direction should the thread be wound?

  8. #18
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    You can try to pull it up manually and see if she will sew. It might give some clue as to what's going on, but it's not a long term solution.

    Without looking at the bobbin case, I can't tell which way the thread should be. For what it's worth, my machine will pick up the thread either way and sew, even though the manual says there is a right way and a wrong way...

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Schneiderlein View Post
    You can check the tension on the bobbin thread by suspending the bobbin case from the thread. When you give it a little quick tuck upwards, you should be able to get some more thread to come out. If you need anything more than a slight amount of force to pull thread out of the bobbin case, I would suspect you have some lint build up in your bobbin case (or did you turn the little screw?).

    When you remove your bobbin from the metal case, you should not pull the thread through backwards, as this can cause lint to get stuck and mess up your tension. You should either cut it and pull the cut-off end out in the right direction, or undo it the way you loaded it, which takes a bit of practice.

    Another very remote possibility is that you have the same problem as my mother's machine. The clutch for the bobbin winder no longer disengages the needle up-down motion, and the machine looks like it should be sewing but it's not, it turns the bobbin winder.
    I never heard that before. I'll have to try that. I got my bobbin tension set a long time ago and don't touch it.
    Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
    The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".

  10. #20
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    interesting, i was told to put the bobbin in the bobbin case so that when you pulled thread, the bobbin would spin clockwise.

    something that helps me alot, is to switch to zig zag stitch which seems to pick up the bobbin thread much easier.

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